Social Security Payment Date Calculator: When You Get Paid in 2026 and 2027
Quick Answer
If you started Social Security in May 1997 or later and do not get SSI, you are paid on a Wednesday set by your birth day: born 1st to 10th, the second Wednesday; 11th to 20th, the third; 21st to 31st, the fourth. If you started earlier or also get SSI, you are paid on the 3rd. SSI is paid on the 1st. A weekend or federal holiday moves the payment to the day before.
Source: 20 CFR 404.1807 (SSA)
Dates are based on SSA's payment rules and calendar. Your bank may post a deposit a day later.
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Which Payment Schedule Are You On?
| Your situation | You are paid |
|---|---|
| Started Social Security in May 1997 or later, no SSI, born on the 1st to 10th | Second Wednesday |
| Same, born on the 11th to 20th | Third Wednesday |
| Same, born on the 21st to 31st | Fourth Wednesday |
| Started Social Security before May 1, 1997 | The 3rd of the month |
| Get both Social Security and SSI | Social Security on the 3rd, SSI on the 1st |
| Live in a foreign country | The 3rd of the month |
| Eligible for a state to pay your Medicare premium (a Medicare Savings Program) | The 3rd of the month |
| SSI only | The 1st of the month |
For the Wednesday schedule, the birth day is that of the person whose earnings record pays the benefit. A spouse, a survivor or a child is paid on the same Wednesday as other beneficiaries on that record. Once SSA assigns your payment day, it does not change except in the situations the regulations list.
Payment Dates for November 2026 Through December 2027
This table shows when each group is paid. A date with a note was moved earlier by a weekend or federal holiday. The month column is the month the payment is for, so some dates fall in the month before.
| Payment for | SSI | 3rd of the month | Second Wednesday (born 1-10) | Third Wednesday (born 11-20) | Fourth Wednesday (born 21-31) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | Fri, Oct 30 * | Tue, Nov 3 | Tue, Nov 10 * | Wed, Nov 18 | Wed, Nov 25 |
| December 2026 | Tue, Dec 1 | Thu, Dec 3 | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 | Wed, Dec 23 |
| January 2027 | Thu, Dec 31, 2026 * | Thu, Dec 31, 2026 * | Wed, Jan 13 | Wed, Jan 20 | Wed, Jan 27 |
| February 2027 | Mon, Feb 1 | Wed, Feb 3 | Wed, Feb 10 | Wed, Feb 17 | Wed, Feb 24 |
| March 2027 | Mon, Mar 1 | Wed, Mar 3 | Wed, Mar 10 | Wed, Mar 17 | Wed, Mar 24 |
| April 2027 | Thu, Apr 1 | Fri, Apr 2 * | Wed, Apr 14 | Wed, Apr 21 | Wed, Apr 28 |
| May 2027 | Fri, Apr 30 * | Mon, May 3 | Wed, May 12 | Wed, May 19 | Wed, May 26 |
| June 2027 | Tue, Jun 1 | Thu, Jun 3 | Wed, Jun 9 | Wed, Jun 16 | Wed, Jun 23 |
| July 2027 | Thu, Jul 1 | Fri, Jul 2 * | Wed, Jul 14 | Wed, Jul 21 | Wed, Jul 28 |
| August 2027 | Fri, Jul 30 * | Tue, Aug 3 | Wed, Aug 11 | Wed, Aug 18 | Wed, Aug 25 |
| September 2027 | Wed, Sep 1 | Fri, Sep 3 | Wed, Sep 8 | Wed, Sep 15 | Wed, Sep 22 |
| October 2027 | Fri, Oct 1 | Fri, Oct 1 * | Wed, Oct 13 | Wed, Oct 20 | Wed, Oct 27 |
| November 2027 | Mon, Nov 1 | Wed, Nov 3 | Wed, Nov 10 | Wed, Nov 17 | Wed, Nov 24 |
| December 2027 | Wed, Dec 1 | Fri, Dec 3 | Wed, Dec 8 | Wed, Dec 15 | Wed, Dec 22 |
* Moved to the last business day before the scheduled date.
Why Your Payment Date Can Move
SSA's rule is the same for every group. If the scheduled day falls on a Saturday, a Sunday or a federal legal holiday, the payment is made on the first earlier day that is none of those. Holidays on a weekend are observed on the Friday or Monday, and SSA treats the observed day as a holiday too.
The second Wednesday of November 2026 is November 11, which is Veterans Day. People born on the 1st to 10th are paid on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The third and fourth Wednesdays are not affected.
January 1, 2027 is a Friday and a federal holiday. SSI for January is paid on Thursday, December 31, 2026, in the previous month. The 3rd of the month falls on a Sunday, so that group is paid on the same day.
Here is every payment in the table above that is paid early:
- SSI, November 2026: paid Friday, October 30, 2026 instead of Sunday, November 1, 2026 (weekend).
- Wednesday (born 1st-10th), November 2026: paid Tuesday, November 10, 2026 instead of Wednesday, November 11, 2026 (Veterans Day).
- SSI, January 2027: paid Thursday, December 31, 2026 instead of Friday, January 1, 2027 (New Year's Day).
- 3rd of the month, January 2027: paid Thursday, December 31, 2026 instead of Sunday, January 3, 2027 (weekend and New Year's Day).
- 3rd of the month, April 2027: paid Friday, April 2, 2027 instead of Saturday, April 3, 2027 (weekend).
- SSI, May 2027: paid Friday, April 30, 2027 instead of Saturday, May 1, 2027 (weekend).
- 3rd of the month, July 2027: paid Friday, July 2, 2027 instead of Saturday, July 3, 2027 (weekend).
- SSI, August 2027: paid Friday, July 30, 2027 instead of Sunday, August 1, 2027 (weekend).
- 3rd of the month, October 2027: paid Friday, October 1, 2027 instead of Sunday, October 3, 2027 (weekend).
Your First Payment, the Cost-of-Living Increase and Late Payments
Benefits are paid a month behind
Social Security pays benefits in the month after the month they are due. The payment you get in January is for December. If your benefits start in a given month, your first check arrives the next month.
When the 2027 increase arrives
SSA announced a 3.6 percent cost-of-living increase for 2027. Higher Social Security payments start in January 2027, on your usual payment date. Increased SSI payments begin on Thursday, December 31, 2026. To see what the increase means for your check, use the Social Security COLA calculator.
If a payment does not arrive
SSA advises allowing three additional mailing days past your date before you contact Social Security. Confirm your date first with the calculator above, since a holiday may have moved it earlier.
Social Security Payment Date FAQs
When does Social Security pay in 2027?
It depends on your group. If you started benefits in May 1997 or later and do not get SSI, you are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of the month, based on the birth day of the person whose record pays the benefit. If you started before May 1997, also get SSI, live abroad, or have a Medicare Savings Program, you are paid on the 3rd. SSI is paid on the 1st. The calculator above lists your exact dates.
How do I know which Wednesday I am paid?
Use the day of the month the number holder was born. Birth days 1 to 10 are paid on the second Wednesday, 11 to 20 on the third Wednesday, and 21 to 31 on the fourth Wednesday. The number holder is the worker whose earnings record pays the benefit, so for a spouse, survivor or child benefit it is the worker, not you.
Why was my Social Security payment early?
When a scheduled payment date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, SSA pays on the first earlier day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday. For example, the second Wednesday of November 2026 is Veterans Day, so those payments are made on Tuesday, November 10. Holidays that fall on a weekend are observed on a Friday or Monday, which can also move a payment.
Who is paid on the 3rd of the month?
People whose benefit was first applied for before May 1, 1997, people who also get SSI, people who live in a foreign country, and people eligible for a state to pay their Medicare premium. Anyone added later to one of those records is paid on the 3rd too.
When is SSI paid?
SSI is paid on the 1st of the month. If the 1st falls on a weekend or federal holiday, SSI is paid on the last business day before it, which is in the previous month. For example, SSI for January 2027 is paid on Thursday, December 31, 2026.
Why did my first Social Security payment arrive a month later than I expected?
Benefits are paid in the month after the month they are due. The payment you receive in January is for December. That is why your first check can arrive a month after your benefits start.
Can I change my Social Security payment date?
Generally no. Once SSA assigns your payment day, it does not change it except in the situations the regulations list, such as when you begin getting SSI or move abroad. Your date stays the same each month, except when a weekend or federal holiday moves it earlier.
When will my 2027 cost-of-living increase arrive?
SSA announced a 3.6 percent increase for 2027. The higher Social Security payment starts in January 2027, on your usual payment date. Increased SSI payments begin December 31, 2026. See the COLA calculator for what the increase means for your check.
What if my payment is late?
SSA advises allowing three additional mailing days past your date before contacting Social Security.
Are SSDI payments on the same schedule?
Yes. Social Security retirement, survivor and disability benefits follow the same rules. The birth-date Wednesday schedule applies to disability benefits too, unless you are in one of the groups paid on the 3rd.
Official Sources and How We Calculate
The calculator applies SSA's payment rules to the calendar. Its Wednesday dates match SSA's printed 2026 and 2027 payment calendars for every month, and the holiday and weekend rules come from the regulations below. Federal holidays follow 5 U.S.C. 6103, with the observed Friday or Monday for holidays on a weekend.
| Source | What we used it for |
|---|---|
| 20 CFR 404.1807: When we pay benefits | Wednesday schedule by birth day, who is paid on the 3rd, the earlier-date rule for weekends and holidays |
| 20 CFR 416.502 | SSI paid on the 1st, earlier date for weekends and holidays |
| SSA payment calendar for 2027 and 2026 | The Wednesdays we checked each month against |
| SSA: Paying Monthly Benefits | Payment groups and the holiday rule |
| SSA: 3.6 percent benefit increase for 2027 | When the 2027 increase starts, SSI on December 31, 2026 |
Dates are estimates based on the published rules. Your bank may post a deposit a day later.
Educational Disclosure: This guide is for educational purposes only. Government rules, benefit levels, and tax limits change frequently. While we strive to present accurate information, it should not be taken as legal, tax, or financial advice. We encourage you to review official guidance on government portals (like IRS.gov or SSA.gov) and consult with a qualified professional before making final retirement or benefit elections.